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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23961397">close to the tree</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiveLaughLovex/pseuds/LiveLaughLovex'>LiveLaughLovex</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>down these mean streets [20]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Blue Bloods (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Established Relationship, F/M, Family Dynamics, Gen, Post-Episode: s10e19 Family Secrets, Post-Season/Series 10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 01:34:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>600</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23961397</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiveLaughLovex/pseuds/LiveLaughLovex</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"Feels like a slap in the face. It's unfair, me getting to be involved in Joe’s son’s life when he didn’t.”</p>
<p>(Post "Family Secrets." A conversation between Jamie and Eddie after Sunday dinner.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Edit "Eddie" Janko/Jamie Reagan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>down these mean streets [20]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1507463</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>45</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>close to the tree</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So,” Eddie began hesitantly, glancing over at her husband with worried eyes and an uncertain smile, “how are you feeling?”</p>
<p>“What do you mean?” Jamie asked distractedly, still shell-shocked after the evening’s revelations.</p>
<p>“I <em>mean</em>, you just found out you have another nephew. A 24-year-old one, who just so happens to be a detective. I keep expecting you to have a major freak-out. Hell, <em>I’m</em> having a major freak-out, and it isn’t even my brother’s kid who just wandered into our lives.”</p>
<p>“Trust me, I’m freaking out,” he assured her dryly, exhaling heavily as he glanced in the rearview mirror. “I’m just doing it internally.”</p>
<p>“Well, what are you thinking?”</p>
<p>Her husband hesitated for a moment, then, without his gaze ever wavering from the road before them, quietly admitted, “He looks like Joe. His hair’s darker, and he’s got Paula’s eyes, but everything else is all Joe. It’s not just his looks, either. The way he smiles, the way he laughs… that’s my brother, through and through. Hell, even his facial expressions remind me of his dad.”</p>
<p>“Well,” Eddie sighed quietly, reaching over to squeeze his hand gently, “sounds like nature won out over nurture.”</p>
<p>Jamie huffed a laugh. “Guess it did.”</p>
<p>“Are you really okay?”</p>
<p>“I don’t know what I am,” he responded honestly. “I mean, I’m glad he’s in our lives. He really seems like a great kid, with a good head on his shoulders.”</p>
<p>“Well, he <em>is</em> a Reagan,” Eddie offered softly. “Maybe he doesn’t have your name, but he’s got your DNA. It doesn’t matter who raised him. So far, it seems like the apple didn’t fall too far from the tree.”</p>
<p>“No,” the blond man agreed quietly. “It didn’t.”</p>
<p>“Honey,” Eddie began delicately, “are you okay?”</p>
<p>“He’s twenty-four,” Jamie forced out, fighting against the moisture gathering in his eyes as he stopped at a red light. “Means he was born in… what? ’95, ’96?”</p>
<p>“Something like that.”</p>
<p>“My brother didn’t die until June of 2009. She had <em>fourteen years</em>, Eddie. Fourteen years to show up on my brother’s doorstep and tell him about his son. Joe missed out on his son’s entire life, and there’s no way for him to make it up to the kid, because he’s <em>dead</em>. He’s <em>gone</em>.” A single tear escaped. “Joe wanted more than this. More than the job, more than the badge. He wanted a <em>family</em>. He wanted <em>kids</em>. And now, finding out he had one this entire time?” He shook his head. “Feels like a slap in the face. It’s unfair that I get to be involved in Joe’s son’s life when he didn’t.”</p>
<p>“Jamie, your brother would <em>want</em> you to be involved,” she pointed out kindly. “<em>All </em>of you. You’re right, it is <em>beyond</em> unfair that he doesn’t get to be here to know his kid, but you’re here. Danny’s here, and Erin.” She intertwined their fingers. “That kid has all of you. Wherever he is, your brother knows that, and I’m sure he is <em>so</em> relieved.”</p>
<p>Jamie exhaled heavily, then nodded once. “Yeah, I guess he would be.”</p>
<p>“You<em> know</em> he would be,” she retorted lightly, grinning when he glanced over at her with a long-suffering sigh. “You want me to fight the kid’s mom?” she offered, only half-joking.</p>
<p>“You’re kidding, right?”</p>
<p>She shrugged. “Mostly.”</p>
<p>“You terrify me,” he told her seriously.</p>
<p>“That’s fair.”</p>
<p>He laughed quietly, the sound little more than an amused exhale. “You terrify me,” he repeated, “and I love you.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” she breathed, stroking her thumb over his as she glanced over at him with a beaming grin, “I love you, too.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I will likely write another little piece addressing baby Cayden and that storyline tomorrow or at some point this weekend. I've just been sitting awake, thinking about this revelation, and I can't stop writing about Joe Jr. (I'm calling him that in my head. It's just less confusing. I'm aware he's not TECHNICALLY a Jr., but let me have this one, please). </p>
<p>Stay safe out there!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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